Cars are one piece of machinery that fascinates most of us right from the time we are children. I was no different and got lucky in finding a career that interests me.

I work on developing a clutch control unit for cars for different car manufacturers. The primary function of a clutch control unit is to engage/ disengage the engine. It takes up to 2 years to develop one clutch control unit (product development lifecycle).

The design requirement document is provided by the customer that draws the boundaries for our design. Based on their requirements, we commence work on the design. I use schematic capture tool to generate a schematic of the clutch control unit. The virtually created schema is converted into a Printed Circuit Board Assembly. PCB with components (like a resistor, capacitor, etc.) is called PCBA. Then a prototype is made ready for testing. The prototype would be tested according to the test requirements specified by the customer. For example, PCBA support the current requirements of a 200W motor at full load and transient load. The final step is the system requirements phase, which involves interfacing with mechanical, electrical and hydraulic systems to ensure they work well together.

Once the clutch control unit is delivered to the manufacturer, I will verify that the design has met the design for manufacturing approach. I ensure that the prototype smoothly transitions to the production phase. I ensure the yield is around 90%. I will monitor and supervise production ramp-up activities.

I studied A-level and chose science stream. My parents helped in choosing science stream. I didn't get my first choice, so ended up choosing Electrical Engineering. I also did an internship at a leading data storage company which provided me with a lot of practical knowledge and experience.

I believe you have to enjoy what you are doing. My role is predominantly technical, and it will be tough to be successful if you don't enjoy the role.